1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hammers, and is more particularly concerned with the provision of a fulcrum extension for pulling nails, the fulcrum extension being releasably engageable at the distal end of the hammer and, during periods of non-use, being advantageously stored out-of-the-way at the proximal end of the hammer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many implements have been used over the years for displacing the fulcrum and/or increasing the lever arm of a hammer for pulling nails. Most often the practice is to place a block of wood beneath the hammer head to displace the fulcrum and therefore increase the length of the lever arm. Many times, however, a block of wood or the like is not readily available.
McC. Eveleth in his U.S. Pat. No. 540,967 discloses the use of a fulcrum cushion carried on a toothed extensible member which is movable through a hammer head and hammer handle. The handle is provided with a pivotal spring-loaded latch member having a dog at one end extending through the hammer handle and into a position between the teeth of the extensible member. The extensible member thus may be moved to reposition the fulcrum outwardly from the surface of the hammer head to a plurality of selected positions as determined by the length of the extensible member and the number and spacing of the teeth thereon. The plunger or extensible member is spring loaded so that release of the latch will move the extensible member and its cushion outwardly of the hammer until the latch is permitted to engage.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,408,162 of Bartosc discloses a hammer which has a T-shaped element located therein with the base of the T mounted on a screw in the hammer head so that it is adjustable by way of a knurled nut or thumb wheel, again to move the crossbar of the T, as a fulcrum, outwardly from the head of the hammer.
Brown, et al in their U.S. Pat. No. 2,589,047 disclose an insert-type member for a hammer head which is of a U-shaped structure to fit in complementary wide grooves in the hammer head and which is movable outwardly and rotatable by 90.degree. for fixation in a groove transverse of the hammer head, again for moving the fulcrum outwardly from the surface of the hammer head.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,747,835 to Belgard discloses an attachment for a hammer head in which a member has a first surface which is complementary to the curvature of the hammer head for resting thereagainst and a second surface, spaced from the first surface, which has a more pronounced curvature, and which is to be used as a repositioned fulcrum. The member is attached to the hammer head by a pair of U-shaped straps, one of the straps embracing the peen section of the hammer head while the other embraces the claw section of the hammer head. The U-shaped straps are attached to the member by screws.
The above structures are basically representative of the art and disclose attachments or supplements to hammer heads which require multiple moving parts which, in some cases, complicate the structure of a hammer, and in all cases add elements which are permanently fixed to the distal end of the hammer and, therefore, increase the weight in the area of the hammer head, in order to have a lever arm increase readily available.